Humanoid robot outperforms humans in Beijing Half Marathon
Dozens of humanoid robots overtook human runners in the Beijing half marathon, demonstrating advances in athletic performance and autonomous navigation.
“What’s important is movement.”
An ad in a Nike store in Boston now reads: “Runners welcome, walkers tolerated” after the sports brand replaced the sign following backlash over its original message. The ad ran in the athletic brand’s Newbury Street Shop in the run-up to the 2026 Boston Marathon. The brand removed the sign on Friday, April 17, after a response on social media that the term was not inclusive.
“We listen to our athletes,” Nike said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY on April 20.
Here’s the latest news and why running adaptive sports proponents are concerned.
Backlash against Nike’s ad
A red-on-black sign appeared on a popular Boston street corner last week, reading, “Runners welcome. Pedestrians welcome.”
The ad was released in the run-up to the 2026 Boston Marathon, known as one of the most prestigious annual endurance events in the United States. An estimated 30,000 racers were expected to take to the streets for the 130th edition of the world’s oldest continuously held marathon. Runners have to hit a certain time to get an entry bib, which means they need a certain level of fitness to participate, but some have debated on social media whether the word on walking is motivating or exclusive.
Some say Nike’s ads could be aspirational for the race’s elite runners. “This is primarily a race for time and has a unique performance culture. From that perspective, this is very targeted, even strategic, marketing,” @irondoctorhaz wrote in an April 16 Instagram caption, adding that the ad could also perpetuate the idea that “does movement only ‘count’ if it looks a certain way?”
Others pointed out that completing a marathon often requires walking, especially for people with disabilities or those who don’t fit the mold of the typical elite runner.
“Are you kidding me?” adaptive athlete Robin Michaud wrote in an Instagram post. “Due to my spinal cord injury, I have to take breaks from walking. Despite having a cyst in my spinal cord, I still take regular 5-hour breaks in Boston and will be taking another break this weekend. Thank you for your patience, @nike.”
What adaptive sports advocates say
Nike has since amended its policy, replacing the in-store message with a new ad that reads, “Boston is a constant reminder that movement matters.”
But advocates for adaptive athletes say the initial message was still a blow to the diverse community of marathon participants. They were particularly concerned about the word “acceptable”, which implied that any deviation from running during the race was a failure or shameful. This is especially true since not all participants are ambulatory. On Monday, 50 wheelchair participants were scheduled to take on the trails, and although they weren’t walking or running through the streets of Boston, they had the same level of intense competition.
“I was very disappointed to see the word ‘acceptable’ used in a major advertising campaign related to the Boston Marathon,” said Emily Glasser, president and CEO of Achilles International, an adaptive running nonprofit that provides guidance, training and community for people with disabilities.
“Every athlete on the starting line shows grit and determination,” Glasser said in an April 20 email to USA TODAY.
And perhaps no race tests American runners more than Boston’s difficult marathon course. The 42.2-mile course includes “Heartbreak Hill,” an uphill section between miles 20 and 21 near the Boston University campus. The hills, the most famous part of the course, are considered an important part of the race, as participants’ energy is often depleted by “hitting the wall”.
Inevitably, some athletes may need to walk a certain amount of time to complete the course. But the will to follow through and listening to your body are the biggest indicators of strength, Glasser says.
“Grit has no pace, and progress is determined by participation, not speed.”
